Fireplace flame simulating device



. 10, 1957 L. P. BROOKS FIREPLACE FLAME sIuuLATING DEVICE original FiledJune 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 LAQ.,

INVENTOR.`

Dec. 10, 1957 L P. BROOKS t Re. 24,399

FIREPLAGE FLAME SIMULATING DEVICE original Filed June 14, 1952 2sneets-shet 2 INVENTo -zeyendgthe desired llame effect is obtained.

United States Patent O rrREPLAcE FLAME SIMULATINGDEVICE Lorirner 1.roolrs, Tpckahoe, N. Y., assigner to Drum '-Fire, Inc., 'Tuckahotn N.Y., a corporation of New York 9 fllaims. (Cl. 40-126) *Matter enclosedin heavy brackets [-1] Vappears in the l@originalpatent ibut forms .uoypart .of-,this ,reissue sneciiiratios; matter-.printed iuifaiissiuiiississtihs additions .mais by reissue- Thov Present invention,relates fo s fireplace devise ,aud more particularly to a device whichrealistically .simulates myosin/ood .or other .combustible matterVarious attempts Liars .been ,raads iu the past to simullate Atires,ofyvooi etc., so l as to provide a ,device which maybe placed inlireplacesand other other places to provide a pleasingteffect withoutactually lcreating dames orpausingcombustion. lSuch v devices areusefulnot only in larxtilcial `fireplaces .or in other placeswhererealflames are unsuitable but alsoin real fireplaces Where it is desiredvto avoid l.the tnoublc, dirt, sparks, etc., lof a real fir\e, Thedevices thus far produced by others have :never closely v`z tpproached,the appearance .of lflames of :combustion `In .accordanewithmyinvention l provide .ya ldevice .which maybe placed adjacent `a logmember comprising .asingle logora stack. of logs `or pieces of wood,,either irreal orsimulated, or :adjacent other Ymembers which it isv4desired .to associate with a moving or `dancing flame, Vand 's'.very-,realistic .appearance is provided. The devise Comprises a movable,mirrorflike,V retlecting surface which is ,proyided ,Withay pluralityof` randomly spaced and shaped iiudouiuiious and mosnsffor movi-us ihs.surface @Lassie such that the individual indentations are not .visibleIto zthe ,In the arsting surface erred tous ,ofi tuo invention the'highly folios Y13T-ls,surroXimrit,olv tho shape of a cylindrical.drum-sud ftllsiiusioutstiousfiisvo spsoiuss aud depths within psr-:tiaularfrsnsos- Tilo `drum is rotated by a motor si afrrssiotorminodspsosi, .aud a pair of Vcolored light sourses, z ilto.prefs/,fred .sobr-:being orange, associated with .orovflector,directlight on the drum in a predetermined :di-

wie, on. yThe,:drinn is rotated lin addirection such that,

1- hen ,viewed` :by/an observer, the ysurface of the c lpumvrraoisesslowardlv.

--Accondingly, itis an object lof my invention to provide a moving llamesimulator which provides a realistic appearanceand .which is simple andeconomical to manufacture.

@ther-objects Vandadvantages of my inventon Will be .apparent from the4following detailed description of a pre- ;ferred-cmbodiment oftheinvention which should be `conftsidered in connection withtheaccompanying drawings, in

Fg 'l Visa perspectiveview of the fireplace device n01:

.vfmyinventionincluding a log member and a llame simulator;

Fig.' 2-'is-a rear elevation view of thesembodiment shown lines` 3-,7-3indicated in Fig. 2; and

is a cross-,sectional view of the drum shown -in fil-iig.

"Ei-gs, 173. and ,forming part .of the dame simplaton Re. 24,399Reissued Dec. 10, 1957 ICC Referring to the drawings, which show :the`an'leusimulating device of my invention in conjunction .with a-logmember comprising a plurality of logs arranged in :a stack, the logmembertli) is mounted on the base 11 and cornprises a plurality of endpieces 12 which are fastenedfto each other by any suitable means such asnails. `VSecured to the front of theiend` piece 12 is a foraminous sheet513, which maybe wrenlathorwire screening materialpwhich forms a base.for a'rformable material which subsequently hardens,suchas-.plaster,tmagnesite, etc. `The sheet 11?k is `cut away atthe-portions114f15.and `16 so as -to provide an aperture through which1.a drum 17 of -the tlame simulator may be observed. The layer 18.0fformable-mate yrial is applied over .theifront of the-sheet 13 -and is'formed to simulate. the shape .of logs ortsections of wood, and it maybelcolored to .have Ithe-appearance of birchfwood, oak wood, etc.r=l`=he :inwardly-extending portions 19 andthe v`.portions ofsthe face,of the log memberiimmediately admache.

The drum 17 ma-y :be constructed by mounting a sheetiO-ofreiiect-ing'ma-terial having a mirror-like surface, suchas-po'lishediialuminum ifoil orvpolished stainless steel, on a-pair ofdisks -21 and l22. The disks 21 and 22 are in .turn .mounted on-a shaft23 which Vis suppor-ted at -its ends Aby( bearings mounted on-brackets24and 25. `The disks preferablysare -secured to -the shaft 2S so as to berotated-therewith and the disks 21'and-22 and the shaft 273l are drivenas a-unit-by a motor'26 conlnected to Athe disk 2,1 or-yto the shaftf23'by any suitable drivingmeanshwhichmay be agear ldrive-vor a'sfrictiondrive of Ythe 4'type employed to drive phonograph turntables. lThe motorA26 drives :the drum @1'7 i-n -the direction indicateduby the arrowi'inFig. landyhence, lthe surface of the drunr-l'moves upwardlyas-viewed-through the apertureslll, rx15and 16. i

"The brackets 24-and 25 are-)mounted on a-base v12'8and `the bases 11and 28 are held together by means of strips `ZB--and 30. The Idivided-base construction `is :employed because lit*sixnpliiies-themanufactureof the complete -log member and-flame simulator assembly, but it will=beapparent that a single'ibase Aforboth components may employed.

YThe front o f the drum-17, namely, thatsportion ofthe drum whichisvisible through lthe apertures 14--16-is illuminated `by a pair oflight sources 'Sland 32 Aheld in suitablesockets and 341rnounted`onbrackets5 and 36 secured totheibase sZS. *The sourcesl and32 may-beyconventional incandescent lamps Vhaving colored glass bulbs andthe-light from the sources Gland 32 is directed onto the ,frontfsideofthe drum l171by a ,reilector 37 uiouutfod :outils ,sides .of .thesourses 3.1 and'lopposiio ifoiuihto f fuuui 'ilsssibosu iouud ihsithe.oolo'whioh ,sii/ss .thoruost rlsasius audrsaiistis sito# is au orangerloyod- ,Foiexamrletrloa .results meytbstobtairisd with yellow erredbulbs or with Corri oasoi .orange fedtaadyollowbulbs- Qi yourself itisflared iorrosiuoo Hotel oifosts raihofiibau tuocolors @areal llame,bulbs ,of other colo s may, lso he employed. It will Ab\e ,n ;ted that'.the lislu sourses 3.1 and 32. .sie .saaoosi apartir tho direction 'f-.the lousif el., axis Lof. .fue .drum .17. another Vvare mouuiedybolovthis.. softhe drum `17 ,seas to,i`i1ui.r.,1i.

nate the surface of the drum 17 which is visible through the apertures14, 15 and 16 in the log member 10. 1t has been found that this positionof the light sources 31 and 32 is most satisfactory in that it provideslighting giving the most realistic eect.

The shaping of the surface of the drum 17 is an important factor inproducing the appearance of flames of combustion. For example, it hasbeen found that the surface should be provided with a plurality ofindentations throughout the portion thereof which is visible through theapertures 14, 15 and 16 so that this portion of the surface comprises aplurality of randomly oriented, reflecting areas. The indentationsshould have a substantial depth as well as spacings within predeterminedranges and particular configurations. Thus, it has been found that ifthe spacing and configuration of wrinkles on the surface of the drum isvaried without producing indentations of at least one-quarter of an inchin depth with respect to the surface of a cylinder having a radiussubstantially equal to the maximum radius of the portion of the drumsurface visible through the apertures 14, 15 and 16, realistic flamesare not produced although the light from the sources 31 and 32 reflectedby the surface of the drum 17 is broken up. Also, if the indentationsare at least 1pinch deep but the spacing between the indentations in thedirection of the axis of the drum is too great or if indentations whosebottoms extend only parallel to the axis of the drum are provided,realistic flames again are not produced. It has been found thatpreferably there should be a plurality of indentations having an averagespacing in the direction of the axis of the drum and betweencorresponding points on the indentations, such as the valleys thereof,between 0.8 and 1.25 inches but the spacing may range from approximately0.5 to 2.0 inches. If the spacing between the indentations is made toosmall, i. e., substantially below 0.5 inch, then realistic llames areagain not produced because the surface is broken up into areas which aretoo small in size to give the desired impression. Preferably, theindentations are from 1A to 11/2 inches in depth, l to 2 inches in widthand length, but the indentations may be deeper and longer, the lengthdimension being in the direction of rotation of the drum 17. Also,preferably the walls of the indentations are substantially smooth, and aplurality of the indentations have ends facing substantially in thedirection of rotation which when viewed through the apertures 14-16 havethe shape of an inverted V, examples of such ends being designated bythe numerals 42-46 in Fig. 2.

The production of moving ames depends upon the fact that when anilluminated surface is moved at a slow enough speed, the eye not onlysees individual areas of the surface but also light changes and portionsof the light source and, when the surface is moved at a high speed, theeye sees only a substantially steady light pattern, but when the surfaceis moved at speeds between these two extremes, the eye does not seeindividual areas but does see moving light patterns. The indentationsbreak the surface of the drum up into small areas of irregularconfiguration and at any given position and instant the light reflectedfrom the surface of the drum is broken up into patches of light ofirregular configuration and varying intensity. As the drum is rotated,the light pattern from the surface of the drum varies and as the drummoves the patches of light not only appear to move in the direction inwhich the drum is moving but also their configuration changes. If thedrum is rotated very slowly, the individual reflecting areas on thesurface of the drum may be observed and, in fact, if the drum is rotatedsufflciently slowly, portions of the light sources themselves may berecognized. However, as the speed of rotation of the drum is increased,the light sources become indistinguishable and the eye sees only movingpatches of light of irregular and changing configuration. If the speedof the drum is increased to a very high rate, then the motion of thepatches is substantially lost due to persistence of vision. It has beenfound that when the diameter of the drum is approximately 8 inches andthe surface of the drum has the configuration heretofore described, thespeed of rotation of the drum should be between 35 and 200 revolutionsper minute and preferably the speed of rotation should be between 60 and90 revolutions per minute. Also, it has been found that for a giveneffect drums of larger diameter should be rotated faster than drums ofsmaller diameter.

Thus, it will be seen from the above that the configuration of thellames is controlled by the indentations on the surface of the drum 17and the dancing effect is in part determined by the configuration of theindentations and in part by the speed of rotation of the drum 17.Accordingly, when a surface is prepared, the indentations are made inthe size required to produce the desired flame configurations and thedrum speed is adjusted to produce the desired motion of the flames. If aslow, lazy re is desired, the drum should be rotated at a relativelyslow speed within the broad range indicated above and, if a brisk,roaring fire is desired, the drum 17 should be rotated at a relativelyhigh speed within the above-mentioned broad range.

Normally, the simulated flames .appear on the portion of the drum 17between the upper of the projecting portions 19 and the lower edge ofthe aperture 16, and, roughly speaking, the average height of thesimulated llames is two-thirds of the diameter of the drum 17. However,the configuration of the drum may also be altered to produce leapingllame and sparking effects. The leaping llame effect may be produced byeither of two methods. In the first method, a relatively largeindentation, Isuch as the indentation 38 shown in Fig. 3, whose bottomextends in the direction parallel to the axis of the drum is made in thesurface of the drum. Such an indentation may, for example, be two inchesdeep and four to live inches long if the drum diameter is eight inchesand the drum length is approximately l2 inches. Light in an irregularstrip is reflected from the upper wall of the indentation 38 after thiswall has passed the upper ones of the projecting portions 19 and thisproduces thel appearance of a leaping llame.

In the other method of producing a leaping flame, the drum is providedwith flaps 39 (Figs. 2 and 3) which have reflecting undersides, i. e.,the sides nearest the axis of the drum 17. With a flap such as a flap 39light is retlected from the underside of the flap toward an observer anddownwardly on the surface of the drum under the flap 39 when the flap isn a position near the upper edge of the aperture 14. The flaps 39 haveirregular configurations and, thus, each time they appear near the upperportion of the aperture 14 they provide the appearance of a narrow stripof llames moving upwardly and spaced from the bulk of the fiamesappearing in the apertures 15 and 16. If desired, the portion of thesurface -of the drum 17 under the flaps 39 may be omitted because theundersides of the flaps are suflicient to provide the leaping flameeffect.

The sparking effect may be provided by producing a few relatively longand narrow indentations around the periphery of the drum 17. The lengthdimension of these indentations extends in the direction of rotation ofthe drum 17 and the indentations may be 1/2 to 2 inches long and onlyV16 to Mi of an inch wide. These indentations are not sufliciently wideto produce the appearance of llames, but do produce the appearance ofsparks rising from the llames.

It has also been found that there is sutlicient light reilected from therear surface 40 of the log member 10 to produce a faint glow on theportion of the drum surface appearing through the aperture 14 above thesimulated llames Iand the color of the glow may be controlled by varyingthe color of the inner surface 40 of the log member 10. Therefore, it ispossible to produce the appear- Lance of smoke rising from the flames bysuitably coloring the inner face 4|] of thel'og member 10. For example,if the inner face 40 is colored white or greyfthe surface of the drum-17 appearing through'the upper portion ofthe aperture 14 presents theappearance "of thin clouds of smoke rising upwardly. r j

It will be seen from an understanding of vthein'verition that thedame-simulating surface need 'not take'the Yshape of a drum but may haveother shapes which permit 'the surface to have the afore-mentionedindentations and to be moved past'the apertures 14, 15'a'n'd'1`6 in thejlog member 10. The drum vshape isp'refer'ed because of the ease withwhich it may be constructed 'and associated with stacked logs andbecause itp'rovidfes-sir'nulated dame movement in an upward direction.Also, it will-be understood that the dame-simulating portion of theapparatus is not restricted to use with log members but, instead, may beemployed with other devices or members with which itis desired toassociate simulated dames. n

In addition, materials other than sheet metal may be employed to formthe reecting surface, i. e., the surface may Ibe formed from papercoated with silver and, although silver-colored retiecting surfaces .arepreferred, the surface may be colored with other colors such as red,yellow, etc., retiecting sheets of these latter colorsbeing commerciallyavailable. l

While the invention has been described with reference to the preferredforms thereof, it will kbe understood by those skilled in the art, afterunderstanding the invention, that modications and changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed as new and what I desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A fireplace device comprising a first member having the appearance ofcombustible material'having an aperture therein, a rotatable [second]memberlof generally cylindrical shape] having a movable, -mirror-likereflecting surface spaced from its axz's of rotation, said rotatablemember being mounted Ibehind said rst member with a portion of saidsurface directly visiblethrough said aperture, said portion comprising aplurality of vrandomly oriented, contiguous and mirror-likefreflectin'g'areas of random configuration, means Vfor rotating said rotatable[second] member ata speed such that the individual reflecting areas areindistinguishable by the eye and for thereby moving said surface pastsaid aperture at -a predetermined speed, and means for projecting lightof a predetermined color on said portion.

2. A fireplace device comprising a tirst member simulating combustiblematerial and having a light transparent aperture therein, a secondmember of generally cylindrical shape having a movable, peripherallyextending mirrorlike reilecting surface mounted behind said iirst memberwith a portion of said surface directly visible through said aperture,said surface being formed by a plurality of randomly oriented,contiguous and mirror-like reflecting portions of random coniiguration,means for rotating said second member at a speed such that theindividual reecting areas are indistinguishable by the eye and forthereby moving said Surface past said aperture at a predetermined speed,and means for projecting light of a predetermined color on said portion.

3. A fireplace device comprising a log member having an aperturetherein, a further member of generally cylindrical shape having amovable, mirror-like, reflecting surface mounted behind said log memberwith a portion of said surface directly visible through said aperture,said portion comprising a plurality of randomly oriented, contiguous andmirror-like reflecting areas of random configuration, means for rotatingsaid further member at a speed such that the individual reiiecting areasare indistinguishable by the eye and for thereby moving said surfacepast said aperture at a predeter- Vjits axis extending substantiallyhorizontally and in a 4mined speed, and means `for projecting light ,ofa pre? fdeterminedcolor `onsaid portion.

4. A :repl-ace device comprising la member having Vthe appearance ofcombustible material and having -at 'least one unobstructed` vaperturetherein, -a lrotatable drum having a mirror-'like reflecting surfacemounted beh-ind lsaidmeniber with a portion of said surface directlyvisisurface, means for rotating said drum at a speed such tha-ftheindividual reflecting areas are indistinguishableby the eye and a lightsource mounted between said niem- `4ber-'and said drum.A Y

5. A fireplace device comprising a plurality `of logs mounted in astack, sai-d stack Vhaving at least one unobstructed aperture therein,Y'a rotatable drum having a mirror-like reflecting surface mountedbehindsaidstack with a portion of said surface directly -visible through`said'aper-ture as said drumfis rotated, saiddrum having directionvsubstantially parallel with a `plane containing `said apertureandsaid-portion of--said surface having a .plurality `ofrandomly-spacedindentations therein which thereby provide -a pluralityof randomly oriented, contiguous yandmirror-like reflecting areaso'nysaid surface,

-motormeansfor-rotating said drumat a speed such .that

-the individual re'ecting Iareas vare indistinguishable by -the eye andAwith lthe surface vtraveling .upwardly as viewed through *saidlaperture fand :a light ``sourcelmourited between ysaid stack'and'saiddrum.

6. 'A fireplace 'device 'comprising fa tplurality of 'logs mountedina-stack, ksaidvstackhaving at least one llight transparent aperturethereinfa rotatbledrumihaving a mirror-like, reflecting "surface mountedbehind said "stack with a portion of said surface directly `visiblethrough saidaperture'asfsaiddrum is rotated, *said drum having vitsLvaxis extending l"substantially ho'rizo'n't'ally :and "in a directionsubstantially parallel with -'a 1iplane containing said aperture `andifs'aid portion Aof 'said surface Ahaving a plurality of randomly spacedindentations therein which thereby provide a plurality of randomlyoriented, contiguous and mirror-like reflecting areas on said surface,said indentations being distributed throughout said portion and havingsubstantial depths and a plurality of said indentations having endsfacing substantially in the direction of rotation of said drum whichhave substantially the shape of an inverted V, the walls of saidindentations being substantially smooth and mirror-like, motor means forrotating said drum at a speed such that the individual indentations areindistinguishable by the eye with the surface traveling upwardly asviewed through said aperture and a light source having the color ofHaines, said source being mounted between said stack and said drum.

7. A fireplace device comprising a plurality of logs mounted in a stack,said stack having at least one light transparent aperture therein, anapproximately cylindrical and rotatable drum having a mirror-like,reflecting surface mounted behind said stack with a portion of saidsurface directly visible through said aperture as said drum is rotated,said drum having its axis extending horizontally and in a directionsubstantially parallel with a plane containing said aperture and saidportion of said surface having a plurality of randomly spacedindentations therein which thereby provide a plurality of randomlyoriented, contiguous and mirror-like reflecting areas on said surface,said indentations being distributed throughout said portion and havingan average spacing in the direction parallel to said axis from 0.5 to2.0 inches, said indentations also having depths at least as great as0.25 inch as measured from the surface of a cylinder having a radiusequal to the maximum radius of said portion of said surface and aplurality of said indentations having ends facing substantially in thedirection of rotation of said drum which have substantially the shape ofan inverted V, the walls of said indentations being substantially smoothand mirror-like, motor means for rotating said drum at a speed in therange from 35 to 200 revolutions per minute with the surface travelingupwardly as viewed through said aperture, and a light source having thecolor of llames, said source being mounted between said stack and saiddrum and below the axis of said drum.

8. A fireplace device comprising a plurality of 'logs mounted in astack, said stack having at least one unobstructed aperture therein, anapproximately cylindrical and rotatable drum having a mirror-like,reecting surface mounted behind said stack with a portion of saidsurface directly visible through said aperture as said drum is rotated,said drum having its axis extending horizontally and in a directionsubstantially parallel with a plane containing said aperture and saidportion of said surface having a plurality of randomly spacedindentations therein which thereby provide a plurality of randomlyoriented, contiguous and mirror-like rellecting areas on said surface,said indentations being distributed throughout said portion and havingan average spacing in the direction parallel to said axis from 0.8 to1.25 inches, said indentations also having depths from 0.25 to 1.5inches as measured from the surface of a cylinder having a radius equalto the maximum radius -of said portion of said surface and a pluralityof said indentations having ends facing substantially in the directionof rotation of said drum which have substantially the shape of aninverted V, the walls of said indentations being substantially smoothand mirror-like, motor means for rotating said drum at a speed in therange from 60 to 90 revolutions per minute with the surface travelingupwardly as viewed through said aperture, a light source having thecolor of flames, said source being mounted between said stack and saiddrum and below the axis of said drum, and reector means mounted adjacentsaid source on the side thereof opposite from said drum.

9. A fireplace device comprising a member having the appearance ofcombustible material and having alight transparent aperture therein, anapproximately cylindrical and rotatable drum having a substantiallyimperforate wall, said wall having a mirror-like, reflecting outersurface and said drum being mounted behind said member withacircumferential portion of said surface directly visible through saidaperture as said drum is rotated, said drum having its axis extendingsubstantially horizontally and in a direction substantially parallelwith a plane containing said aperture and said portion of said surfacehaving a plurality of randomly spaced indentations therein which therebyprovide a plurality of randomly oriented, contiguous and mirror-likerellecting areas on said surface, said indentations being distributedthroughout said portion and having an average spacing in the directionparallel to said axis from 0.5 to 2.0 inches, said indentations alsohaving depths from 0.25 to 1.5 inches as measured from the surface of acylinder having a radius equal to the maximum radius of said portion ofsaid surface of said drum and a plurality of said indentations havingends facing substantially in the direction of rotation of said drumwhich latter indentations have substantially the shape of an inverted V,the walls of said indentations being substantially smooth andmirror-like, motor means for rotating said drum at a speed in the rangefrom 35 to 200 revolutions per minute with the surface of said v drumtraveling upwardly as viewed through said aperture,

andl means for projecting light on said portion visible through vsaidaperture, said means being mounted between saidinember and said drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patentUNITED STATES PATENTS

